MEDIA ADVISORY: UCSF Offers Free Screening for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

WHAT: The UCSF Airway Clinical Research Center is offering free screening to test for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a major cause of illness around the world and the third leading cause of death in the United States, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

WHEN: Wednesday, November 20, 2013 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The screenings will take approximately 15 minutes.

WHERE: Lobby of the UCSF Medical Sciences Building, 513 Parnassus Ave., San Francisco.

WHY:  In honor of World COPD Day, the UCSF Airway Clinical Research Center is providing free pulmonary function testing to the community. COPD can be brought on by a number of factors including cigarette smoke. According to the NIH, more than 12 million people have been diagnosed with COPD in the U.S., and an estimated 12 million are unaware they have the disease. Symptoms can include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, fatigue, and an increased production of phlegm.

Pulmonary function tests can help identify and monitor the progress of lung disease by measuring the amount of air a person can maximally breathe in and out. Although there is not a cure, COPD can be controlled with the right treatment and exercise program. 

For more information, please visit http://acrc.ucsf.edu/

TO SCHEDULE: Individuals interested in participating should call 415-797-PULM (7856) to schedule an appointment.

MEDIA CONTACT: Media interested in covering the event should contact Elizabeth Fernandez, 415/502-6397, [email protected]